Electric clock.



PATENTED APR. 11, 1905.

M. FISCHER.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED snrms, 1901.

UNITED STATES Patented April 11, 1905.

PATE T OFFICE.

MARTIN FISCHER, OF ZURICH, SIVITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ACTIENGE- SELLSCHAFT MAGNETA, (ELECTRISCHE UI-IREN OIINE BATTERIE & OHNE CONTACTE,) OF ZURICH, SIVITZERLAND, A FIRM.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,091, dated April 11, 1905.

Application filed September 3,1901. Serial N- 74,161.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARTIN FIscIIER, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Zurich, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clocks, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to self-winding clocks; and it has for its object the combination of a power-driven winding mechanism 0 with means operated thereby to periodically wind up a comparatively light time-train power-spring, the arrangement being such as to enable me to simplify the time-train in that I dispense with the usual motor-spring 5 barrel and spring, the windingarbor, the

spring-driven gear, and the gearing driven thereby and driving the minute-hand arbor.

One of the characteristic features of my invention resides in its embodiment in a clock in which a normally non-operating or stationary winding-train is periodically released by the time-train and in which provision is made for releasing the winding-train independently of the time-train and wherein the power of said 5 winding-train is utilized not only for periodically winding the time-train motor-spring, but for other useful purposes; but that my invention may be fully understood I will describe the same in detail, reference being had 3 to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation illustrative of the embodiment of my invention in a time-indicator, so much of the time-train being shown as will be necessary to an understanding of 3 5 my said invention. Fig. 2 is a detail View of parts shown in Fig. 1 and drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a modification of the time-train motor-spring, and Fig. 4: is an elevation of a further n1odiiica- 4 tion in the arrangement of said spring and in the means for restoring lost tension.

In Fig. 1 have illustrated my invention in its application to a central or master clock of a system of time distribution, such as fully described in my copending application, filed July 5, 1900, Serial No. 22,582, wherein the winding-train also operates the armature of an induction-current generator and wherein the let-off device is adapted to be operated independently of the time-train of gearing, 5 whereby any number of successive current impulses can be sent to line to operate the controlled clocks in the circuit for the purpose of setting the hands forward, if this becomes necessary. In my said applicationl have also 5 5 stated that the let-ofl devices are operated to release the generator-actuating train every minute, and this will be assumed to be the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the winding-train being hereinafter referred to as the generator-actuating train. 'lhemaster-wheel 12 of the last-named train is geared to a pinion 13 on arbor a through suitable intermediate gearing 14C, 15, 16, and 17, and to said arbor a is secured a radial or crank arm (1, connect- 5 ed to a like arm 0 on the armature A of the O11IIOl'llJ-QGDGIILIJOI'. On arbor a" is also socured the arrester revoluble in the path of stop-lugs Z" on arm I of the let-off lever TJ, whose arm projects into the path of pins 6 7 on the wheel 6 of the time-train.

The minute-hand arbor (1 instead of being geared to the master-wheel driven by the usual spring on a winding-arbor is in the arrangement shown geared to the 'eseapement-wheel 2 through the gear 1 on said minute-hand arbor and through suitable intermediate gearing 3, 6, and '7, of which the wheel 6 serves to actuate the let-off devices for the generatoractuating train. It is of course understood that the usual reducirig-gearing (not shown) is provided for operating the hour-hand, and so far as described both trains of gearing and let-off devices are organized as described in my copending application herein referred to, 5

The construction of current generator shown in Fig. 1 is also fully described and shown in my said copending application and may therefore be but briefly referred to herein, A indicating the armature, M the perma- 9 nent magnet, p two of the pole-shoes, and I the stationary induction-coil or solenoid on said armature.

I will now describe the essential features of my said invention, referring to Figs. 1 and 2. On the minute-hand arbor a of the clock is loosely mounted a gear 4, meshing with the gear 15 of the generator-actuating train, and to said gear 4, is secured one end of a coiled or helical spring .9, whose other end is conneeted to the free end of a radial arm or lever a, frictionally connected to a disk (Z on said minute-hand arbor. The normal tension of the spring .s' is so adjusted as to drive the timetrain for a predetermined period-in the case under consideration for a period somewhat greater than a minute-and it is obvious that when the generator-actuating train is released by the let-otl devices L every minute to impart to the generator-armature a half-revolution by the action of a pin 6 on gear 6 the loose gear 4 will receive a proportionate angular movement in the direction of movement of the hands of the clock at a speed greater than the speed of rotation of the minute-hand arbor, thus not only keeping the time-train going, but also restoring the tension of the spring 8 lost during the previous period of inaction of the current-generator-actuating train, as will be readily understood.

Instead of the coil-spring s a spiral spring 8 may be used, as shown in Fig. 3, the loose gear 4 being then constructed to form a housing or barrel for said spring, whose ends are lrietionall y connected to the housing and minute-hand arbor, respectively. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 4, the minute-hand arbor may have a ratchet-wheel secured thereto, engaged by a spring-actuated pawl 7i)", pivoted to one end of a lever L, fulerunied intermediate of its ends at 5 and whose arm Z projects into the path of pins 15 on the face of the gear 15 of the generator-actuating train and is under the stress of the d riving-spring s. In said Fig. 4 I have shown the lever in contact with one of the pins 15, and

when this takes place the generator-actuating train is released, thereby lifting the free end of the lever against the stress of spring a" and restoring the tension lost during the previous period of inaction of said generator-actuating train, while at the same time the pawl 72" is moved back on ratchet w a distance of one tooth. In this arrangement the ratchet-wheel 0 will also be under the constant influence of spring 5 except for the exceedingly brief or inappreciable time it takes the pawl to move from one tooth to the next. The distance between the pins 15 is so chosen that the lever L will drive the ratchet for a period of one minute before it contacts with one of them, to be then immediately acted on by said pin, as and for the purposes above set forth.

It will be readily understood that if the current-generator train were released a number of times by the cord or chain 17 to set the hands of the secondary clocks forward none of the springs s, a, and .9 could be brought to an injurious or breaking tension, because of the frictional connection between the spring 8 and minute-hand arbor, Fig. l, or the frictional connection between the spring s and said arbor and the gear 4: or owing to the fact that the lever L simply slides oli the pins 15 on wheel 15 when several pins are caused to act in rapid succession on the lever L by the rapid successive release of the current-generator train. It is further obvious that il the means for setting the hands of the secondary clocks were dispensed with both ends of the springs .s' and s" could be rigidly secured to the gear L and arbor c.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with a time-train, its motor-spring, a motor-driven auxiliary train, a gear driven thereby, an element operated by said driven gear, stop and let-off devices for said auxiliary train, said let-ofl devices operated periodically by a moving element of the time-train and means operated by the auxiliary train, whenever let off, to wind up the timetrain motor-spring; of hand-operated means to operate the let-ofl device and release the auxiliary train, and means preventing overwinding of the time-train motor-spring.

2. The combination with a time-train, its motor-spring, a motor-driven auxiliary train, a gear driven thereby, a driven element and means operated by the driven gear to impart angular movements to said element, stop and let-off devices for said auxiliary train, said letofi' devices operated periodically by a moving element of the time-train and means operated by the auxiliary train, whenever let oil, to wind up the ti me-train motor-spring; of handoperated means to operate the let-ol'l' device and release the auxiliary train and means preventing overwinding of the time-train motorspring.

3. The combination with a time-train, a lever, a driving connection between said lever and a revoluble element of the time-train and a helical spring connected to the lever and imparting driving motion thereto; of means controlled by the time-train and operating to periodically restore lost tension to the helical spring.

4. The combination with a time-train, its motor-spring, a motor-driven auxiliarytrain, a gear driven thereby, the pole-changer of an induction-current generator and means operated by the driven gear to impart angular movements to said pole-changer, stop and letoff devices for said auxiliary train, said letoff devices operated periodically by a moving element of the time-train, and means operated by the auxiliary train, whenever let oil, to wind up the time-train motor-spring; of handoperated means to operate the let-ol'li' device and release the auxiliary train and means preventing overwinding of the time-train motorspring.

5. The combination with a time-train, a driving-lever, a helical spring having one end IIO connected to said lever, a driving connection between the lever and a revoluble element of the time-train, and a normally stationary element to which the other end of the helical spring is attached; of means controlled by the time-train to impart periodical movements to the normally stationary element and thereby restore the lost tension to the spring.

6 The combination with a time-train, a driving-lever, a helical spring having one end attached to said lever, a frictional driving connection between the lever and a revoluble element of the time-train and a normally stationary element to which the other end of the spring is attached; of means controlled by the time-train to impart periodical movements to said normally stationary element and thereby restore the lost tension to the helical spring.

7. The combination with the minute-hand arbor of a time-train, a normally stationary gear loose on said arbor, a helical drivingspring having one end attached to said gear and a driving connection between the other end of the spring and said minute-hand arbor; of a gear-wheel, meshing with said normally stationary gear and means to drive said gearwheel controlled by the time-train to impart periodical angular movements to said normally stationary gear.

8. The combination with the minute hand arbor of a time-train, agear-wheel loose thereon, a radial arm frictionally connected to said arbor and a helical driving-spring connected to said arm and gear respectively; of means operating independently of the time-train, but controlled thereby, to impart periodical angular movement to the loose gear and thereby restore the lost tension to said driving-spring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN FISCHER.

Witnesses:

A. LIEBERKNEOHT, E. J. WEs'rERMANN. 

